Concrete working tool



1957 J. l. TORGERSON 2,813,466

CONCRETE WORKING TOQL Filed June 7, 1955 INVENTORT Jade Z ATTD R N EYS atent Gfiice EfllBAhh Patented Nov. 19, Th?

CONCRETE WORKING TOOL John I. Torgerson, Bismarck, N. Dak. Application June 7, 1955, Serial No. 513,767

2 Claims. (CI. 94-45) This invention relates to a tool for use in working concrete.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool which will facilitate the smoothing off of freshly poured concrete.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for use in smoothing off freshly poured concerete, whereby it will not be necessary to grip a two by four or beam in the hands so that there will be no danger of sticking splinters in the workers hands.

A further object of the invention is to provide a concrete working tool which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which'like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a top plan view of the tool of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tool of the present invention shown being used for smoothing freshly poured concerete.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one of the hand grips.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the hand grip of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3. I

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the beam and showing the hand grip thereon.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the con .nection of one of the handles to the clamp.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-10 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a beam, two by four or the like which can be made of any suitable material such as wood, and the beam 10 is adapted to be used for smoothing out freshly poured concrete such as the concrete 11, Figure 2. The present invention is directed to a means for holding and moving the beam 10 so that it is not necessary to grip the beam 10 in the hands whereby there will be no danger of accidentally picking up splinters or the like. Furthermore, with the present invention the movement of the beam 10 can be more easily accomplished.

The tool of the present invention includes a pair of handles which are each indicated by the numeral 12, and the handles 12 can be made of any suitable material such as metal. Each of the handles 12 includes a forwardly curved portion 14 and an intermediate straight section 15. The straight sections 15 may be secured to each other in any suitable manner as for example by welding, Figure 10. Each of the handles 12 further includes a rearwardly positioned outwardly extending portion 13, and each of the portions 13 are provided with hand holds or hand grips 16, Figure 2.

Extending between the rear portions 13 of the handles and secured thereto in any suitable manner, as for example by welding, is a tubular brace 18, and a movable bar 19 has a collar 20 on one end thereof which rotatably engages the brace 18. The bar 19 is mounted for movement into and out of frictional engagement with a clip 17 which is secured to the intermediate sections 15 of the handles 12. The brace 18 is provided with a slot 21, and a pin or key 22 extends inwardly from the collar 20 and projects into the slot 21 for maintaining the bar 19 in its proper position as it swings back and forth from the solid to the broken line position shown in Figure 2.

Mounted on the beam 10 in spaced apart relation with respect to each other, is a pair of clamps 23, Figure 8, and each of the clamps 23 is provided with a cutout or slot 24 which snugly receives therein the upper portion of the beam 10. Formed integral with each of the clamps 23 or secured thereto is a shoulder 25 which is provided with an arcuate recess 27 that snugly receives therein a portion of the front sections 14 of the handles 12. Suitable securing elements such as bolts or screws 24 are provided for maintaining the clamps 23 connected to the beam 10. Bolt and nut assemblies 26 are provided for maintaining the front sections 14 of the handles connected to the clamps 23.

Mounted on the beam 10 on opposite sides of the clamps 23, are hand grips 28 which are each provided with cutouts or slots 29 that receive therein the beam 10. A support member 30 extends upwardly from each of the hand grips 28, and the support members 30 may be secured in place by means of bolts 31. A casing 32 of rubber or the like is snugly mounted on each of the support members 30 so as to permit these members to be gripped more comfortably. Bolts or screws 33 extend through the hand grips 28 and engage the beam 10 for maintaining the hand grips 28 immobile in their proper positions on the beam. Handle members 34 may be formed integral with or se cured to the hand grips 28, and the handle members 34 may be gripped when the beam 10 is to be moved back and forth across the concrete 11.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a tool which will facilitate the smoothing of freshly poured concrete such as the concrete 11. Formerly, workmen gripped a beam or two by four such as the beam 10 in the hands and worked or moved this beam back and forth across the concrete so as to smooth out the concrete. This is disadvantageous because it is not easy to move such a beam properly and also because it is possible that the persons may stick splinters in their hands. With the present invention one man grips the hand sections 16, while a second person grips the hand grips 28 either through the medium of the handle members 34 or through the medium of the members 32. Another man grips the other pair of hand grips 28. Thus, with the three men gripping the device, the beam 10 can be readily moved back and forth as desired so that the concrete or cement 11 can be easily and efliciently smoothed or worked. When desired, the bar 19 can be swung from the solid line position shown in Figure 2 to the broken line position shown in Figure 2 so that the handles 12 can be supported in a raised or inclined position so that they will not lie in the concerete 11 as when the device is not being used. The hand grips 28 can either be gripped by the handle members 34 or else the members 32 can be manually gripped. If desired the various bolts or set screws can be loosened so that the handles can be moved to different adjusted positions on the beam 10. Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided an attachment for a concrete strike-off. Heretofore when using a two by four or two by six, one man grips one end of the two by four and another man grips the other end and often an extra man is in the center to pull the two by four with a rope. With the present invention the beam or two by four 10 can be pushed or pulled back and forth and greater power can be exerted. As shown in Figure 3 the handle members 34 are arranged inclined so that greater pressure can be exerted on the concrete.

I claim:

1. In a concrete Working tool, a beam of rectangular shape, a pair of spaced apart clamps each having a cut out snugly receiving therein the upper portion of said beam, securing elements extending through said clamps and engaging said beam, a pair of inclined handles each including outwardly curved portions secured to said clamps, said handles having their intermediate portions secured together and their rear ends diverging outwardly, a clip secured to the intermediate portions of said handles, a brace extending between and secured to the rear portions of said handles, a movable bar having a collar rotatably mounted on said brace, said clip having a U-shaped portion adapted to selectively receive therein, in frictional engagement, the movably mounted bar, a plurality of hand grips mounted on said beam on opposite sides of said clamps, each of said hand grips comprising a body portion provided with a recess receiving said beam, securing elements extending through said hand grips and engaging said beam, handle members extending from said body portions and secured thereto, and hand engaging members projecting upwardly from said hand grips and secured thereto.

2. A concrete working tool, comprising a beam of rectangular shape, a pair of spaced apart clamps mounted on said beam and each provided with a cutout snugly receiving therein the upper portion of the beam, securing elements extending through said clamps and engaging said beam, a pair of inclined handles each including outwardly curved portions secured to said clamps, a shoulder formed integral with each of the clamps, and provided with an arcuate recess snugly receiving therein a portion of the front section of the handles, said handles having their intermediate portions secured together and their rear ends diverging outwardly, hand grips arranged on the rear ends of said handles, a clip secured to the intermediate portions of said handles, a tubular brace extending between and secured to the rear portions of said handles, a movable bar having a collar rotatably mounted on said brace, said clip having a U-shaped portion adapted to selectively receive therein, in frictional engagement, the movably mounted bar, there being a slot in said brace, a pin extending inwardly from said collar and projecting into said slot for maintaining the bar in its proper position as it swings back and forth, a plurality of hand grips mounted on said beam on opposite sides of said clamps, each of said hand grips comprising a body portion provided with a recess receiving said beam, securing elements extending through said hand grips and engaging said beam, handle members extending from said body portions and secured thereto, and hand engaging members projecting upwardly from said hand grips and secured thereto, said tool adapted to be used for smoothing ofi freshly poured concrete whereby it will not be necessary to grip a two-by-four or beam in the hands so that there will be no danger of sticking splinters into workers hands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,119 Jones et a1 June 27, 1916 1,246,696 Ammann Nov. 13, 1917 1,767,349 Cross June 24, 1930 2,018,890 Heltzel Oct. 29, 1935 2,048,529 Williams July 21, 1936 2,585,283 Sommers Feb. 12, 1952 

